


Brotherhood

by Sabishiioni



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Gen, Sickness, Spider bites
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-15
Updated: 2014-08-15
Packaged: 2018-02-13 09:07:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2145012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sabishiioni/pseuds/Sabishiioni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fili has always watched out for his brother, but after the spiders attack and they are separated in the dungeons of Mirkwood, he may fail in that duty, with dire consequences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brotherhood

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own The Hobbit  
> Warnings: Read them (Even the ones in bold, please)  
> Follow Me:[Tumblr](http://sabishiioni.tumblr.com/)  
> Follow PI: [Tumblr](http://projectinsanitywriting.tumblr.com/)  
> Mindless Babble: I have posted this one before but I got sick of all the comments telling me that it was wrong and Aragorn couldn't be a part of it. So I took it down and rewrote the ending to be more "movie compliant". Fun fact: This was actually the first Hobbit fic I wrote. It was right after I saw the first movie so I guess this is now considered an AU. It's also pretty badly written. I may go back and fix that at some point...

Kili couldn’t stop from clutching the hilt of his sword at every sound he heard. He was not alone in this reaction. The rest of the company, even the hobbit, did the same. No one spoke. No one dared to. Even Thorin’s dark eyes darted at the slightest sound, usually only to see a black squirrel scampering up a tree. He wondered if they would have felt better if Gandalf had not left before they entered this forest of nightmares. The young, dark haired dwarf now completely understood why this place was called Mirkwood when once it had the much grander name of Greenwood the Great. He failed to suppress a shudder as his sharp eyes caught sight of another huge cobweb hanging from a tree. The young dwarf nearly jumped as a hand landed on his shoulder.

Fili smiled at his younger brother, trying to offer some silent reassurance. Kili forced a smile in return, though he knew his brother would know it was without feeling.

Sighing softly, Kili returned his gaze to the path, or rather what passed as a path. They walked in a single file line, for it was too narrow for pairs. He truly felt bad for Bombur, who was continually getting caught on shrubs and branches. Even his slender body bore marks from the blackened vegetation. His hand strayed to the cut on his side that had been re-opened by one of those branches. The original wound was received in the goblin caverns by a lucky sword that had slipped past his defenses. It wasn’t a bad injury, nothing life threatening- just painful and annoying. Honestly, he had forgotten about it in his fear for his uncle’s life. Finally remembering it when they spent the night in the house of Beorn, he tended it while the others were busy with other things. The youngest prince refused to let any of the company help him for fear of them thinking him weak and after the uphill struggle to gain their respect, he was loath to lose it.

Shaking his head, he reminded himself that Thorin was alive and well, leading the company through this dark forest and he retained the confidence of his elders. The hand remained on his shoulder and squeeze gently. Kili looked back at his brother, whose expression was now worried. This time, the smile that found its way to the younger’s lips was not forced. It warmed him to know that Fili still watched out for him. He shook his head to let his sibling know he was well enough. Even if they had not been in Mirkwood, words would not have been needed between the brothers.

Finally, they came to a small clearing where Thorin called for a rest. Kili bit the inside of his lip, dreading the coming night. Sleep would be fitful, full of strange eyes and terrifying sounds. Fires would not be lit, as they only attracted more eyes.

“Come, Kili. Let’s eat together. I have a surprise for you,” Fili spoke softly but with a smile. From his pack, he withdrew a small jar of dried fruits he had been saving. “You seem to be a little down- maybe this will cheer you up some?”

Kili grinned in delight at the small gift. True, he would have preferred meat, but the dried venison was too salty for their limited water supply. So, a few pieces of fruit along with a quarter of a twice baked cake made due for dinner. The brothers shared the meal, talking softly about what they would do when they saw light again. When Kili yawned, Fili pulled him to his chest so they could sleep together, using their shared body heat to keep warm. The last thing Kili saw before falling into a restless sleep was Bofur getting ready to take first watch.

***  
He dreamed…

It started when Bifur screamed something of a warning. Both Fili and Kili were making their way to their feet, drawing their swords when the massive, glistening shapes dropped from the trees. Kili heard someone scream in pain, only to realize the sound came from him. He tried to find his brother, only to have his world go suddenly go dark…

The ground was aflame from the pinecone grenades Gandalf had made. It had been fun to launch them at the wargs and their grotesque riders, but then the tree fell. Suddenly there was nothing below them. The fire now burned the tree they clung to as Azog rode his huge white beast through the flames. Thorin challenged this cruel pair, falling under their ruthless onslaught. He screamed his uncle’s name as he heard the cracking of the branch under him. Fili…

They were in the goblin tunnels. The torture device had been brought up and the Goblin King was singing merrily. He cast about for his brother but could not find him. Fear clutched his heart. Where was Fili? Where was the one who promised to always be at his side? There was a blinding flash and suddenly they were fighting for their lives, trying to escape. He slashed and hacked with his sword, but there seemed to be an endless wave of goblins clawing and biting him…

They began again. Helpless against the onslaught of memories and nightmares, Kili let out a soft whimper.

***  
“Kili… Come back to me, brother…Please…”

Fili gently patted his brother’s cheek, fear barely held in check. He ignored the tears that streamed down his cheeks, trying to pretend they were from dust or smoke, rather than from the clenching in his chest. Kili wasn’t responding to his pleas and his skin was becoming warm. He didn’t understand- the spiders had bitten all of them, but they all recovered enough to flee from their den, save Kili. Fili had been the one to half drag/half carry his brother from that wretched place.

The fair haired dwarf cast a panicked gaze at his surrounding, hoping against hope that another of the company would appear. He would have been happy to even see Bilbo, especially since the hobbit had been the one to save them all. It was in vain as only darkness surrounded the brothers.

He gathered Kili into his arms, holding him tightly as he gave in, sobbing into the other dwarf’s tangled hair. “Please brother, wake up…I can’t do his alone…I need you…”

He sensed, rather than heard, the approaching beings. He knew they were not Dwarves, but by that point, he didn’t care. He looked up with tear reddened eyes at those that surrounded him.

“Please…my brother…help him! He was bitten…”

The four elves that had their arrows pointed at the pair turned to look at the fifth. Saying nothing, the apparent leader of this party nodded. The four lowered their weapons and moved to take hold of the pair. Fili reluctantly let go of his brother, allowing his wrist to be tied and his weapons taken from him. He watched with worried eyes as a pair of helmeted elves roughly lifted Kili from the ground

“Don’t hurt him! I’ll do anything! Please…he’s just a kid! “ 

The leader took the rope that bound Fili’s hands in front of him and yanked, getting the dwarf’s attention. “He is child, yet wears a worn archer’s glove and carries a sword!”

Fili suddenly became fully aware of his position. He and his brother were now prisoners of the same elves that paid tribute to his grandfather and great-grandfather. He had no weapons, no supplies and no brothers-at-arms. They were now completely at the mercy of this hunting party of elves. 

“We….we are hunters…”

“And what brought you to Mirkwood?”

Fili felt his cheeks go red with embarrassment as he realized that his tears had not stopped. “We…we heard there was a dwarf settlement on the other side of the woods…we had hoped to find family…”

The elf huffed and stared to drag Fili away. He tried to struggle until he saw that the pair carrying his brother was following them. Swallowing his pride, he meekly followed the leader.

Minutes later, he found himself being pulled across a bridge to a great gate that opened to admit them into a network of caverns. This was truly the last thing Fili wanted- to be underground again. However, this was not like the goblin caves. Here the air was fresher and the walls closer. Fili felt slightly calmer here. At least until he and his still unconscious brother were taken further down and thrown into separate cells, both doors echoing as they slammed shut.

Fili panicked and began to throw himself against the heavy wooden door, though he was too weak to do much good. “No! You have to help him! He’ll die without medicine! Please! Take my life if that is what it will take, but let him live! Please! You must…you must help him…”

A shadow listened as the dwarf’s pleading trailed off to helpless sobs as Fili slumped against the wood. This was not what he had expected. He had always been told that dwarves care for nothing but gold and jewels. But here was one that was willing to give up his life for another. He cautiously stepped over to the door.

“You truly care for him, do you not?”

Fili looked up sharply, recognizing the voice of the party leader that had dragged him here. Though the elf would not see him, he nodded. “Yes… He is my brother. He is all I really have.”

“You have no other family?”

“We have our mother’s brother who raised us, but he…has other duties.” Fili looked up, his eyes still filled with tears. “Do you have a family?”

The elf nodded. “I have my father. But he…also has other duties.”

“Do you have no one you love?” He hated how his voice cracked on the last word.

Closing his eyes in thought, he finally realized that he did. He blinked in surprise and abruptly left.

He heard the retreating footsteps and then there was only silence. It surrounded Fili, crushing him in the darkness and he wept until sleep finally took him.

****  
Kili hissed as pain flared in his side. His eyes fluttered open and his breath caught. Kneeling next to him was an elf. His long blond hair had braids in it that reminded the dwarf of his brother’s braids. Long, calloused fingers tended the wound that had been bothering him before the attack. His body tensed in fear. 

The elf looked at him and smiled. “Ah, good- you’re finally awake. How do you feel?”

Kili ignored the question. “Where am I and what are you doing…?”

Tilting his head, the elf chuckled. “You are in the dungeon of the Elvenking and I am tending your wound. It would have healed well enough on its own, but the bite from the spider infected it. That bite almost killed you.”

Ignoring the pain it caused as well as the nausea, Kili struggled to sit up. “Why…why are you helping me?”

“Your brother begged for my people to help you. I was the only one willing.”

“My brother?! He is here too?” Panic flooded his weakened body.

“He is in the cell next to you. He is fine, other than not having touched his food for the last three days…”

“Three… wait, why?”

“He has been worried for you. He feared that you would succumb to the venom of the spider’s bite, something you almost did. Your nightmare caused you to scream in fear and pain, which in turn fed the fear in your brother.” The elf’s blue eyes softened. “I think…perhaps it is now time to heal both of you.”

He stood and helped Kili to his feet. The dwarf complied, confused as to the elf’s cryptic words. “Where are you taking me?”

“If you do not try to escape, I will take you to see your brother.”

Kili’s eyes widened as he eagerly allowed the elf to assist him out of his cell and to the door next to his. As soon as it was unlocked, the young dwarf forced his way into the room. “FILI!”

The other dwarf looked up from where he lay on a straw mat. His jaw dropped in shock before he scrambled to his feet and enveloped his brother in a bear hug. “Kili! I thought I had lost you!”

“Sorry brother, you can’t get rid of me that easily!”

The elf quietly slipped from the small cell, returning with a tray containing two plates of food, a pair of water skins and a lit candle. He set the tray by the brothers as well as the candle. With the light, Fili could see that his brother was healing as Kili saw the tear filled eyes of his elder sibling.

Fili touched his brother’s face, hardly daring to believe what his eyes told him. He looked to the elf that stood by the door. “Thank you…”

Dipping his head in an elegant nod of acknowledgement, the elf smiled. “It was my pleasure. Sadly, I will need to separate you again before the guards come. But there is time. Eat and drink. I will return when it is time.”

The elf left, thinking of the elf he considered his sister, the one who taught him about athelas and its medicinal uses, which had helped save the dwarf’s life. He smiled as he thought of the captain of the guard. He would ask her to go hunting with him later.

*****  
Days later, when Bilbo set his rescue plan into motion, he found a pair of young brothers ready for more adventures to be had. Together. To the end of their days.


End file.
